After working for a number of years at a Bond Street Gallery selling 19th century paintings, Shand Kydd began taking photographs of his artist friends and peers. As a participant - as opposed to an observer - he captured the community of Young British Artists before they became household names.

From March ‘96 to July ‘97 he photographed the contents of the book Spitfire (Violette, 1997) and Crash (Damiani/2006), which documents the YBAs and others, and demonstrates Shand Kydd’s refined, straightforward and confident approach in both theme and technique. In strict black-and-white, he captures art world luminaries like Gilbert & George, Sam Taylor-Wood, Richard Prince, Juergen Teller, Maurizio Cattelan and Tracey Emin. His work is in various public collections including the National Portrait Gallery. He lives and works in London.

Auctioneer and art world impresario Simon de Pury sits down with friend and cultural patron Daphne Guinness to speak about connoisseurship and collecting in part one of a double-bill feature by filmmaker Johnnie Shand Kydd.

“Simon is obviously a grand seducer, and there was this wonderful element of flirtation going on,” says Shand Kydd of the tète-à-tète, “You can't fake that kind of chemistry."

Johnnie Shand Kydd is well known for his portraits of infamous friends, but ten years ago he set out on an all together different project – to photograph the streets of Naples, capturing the corruption and drama, the traditions and cultures, that unfold around each street corner. “Every street and piazza is a stage, with the neapolitan people responding to the camera lens in a very unique way.”For this special talk the legendary documentary photographer will be talking about his latest work and signing copies of his beautiful book Siren City, published by Other Criteria.

The talk is FREE with the purchase of any book on the night, or £5 per person.

Spaces are allocated on a first to reply basis and must be saved in advance by emailing lydia.fulton@mac.com

Other Criteria have worked with Johnnie Shand Kydd to produce a publication of his Naples photography, also titled Siren City, as well as prints of selected images within this collection. To see Shand Kydd’s prints, click here.

November 20, 2009Johnnie Shand Kydd launch

Join Other Criteria on Monday 30th November to celebrate the launch of Johnnie Shand Kydd's new publication, Siren City, and three new prints.